Greek Mythology An Introduction What is Greek Mythology

Greek Mythology: An Introduction

What is Greek Mythology? § The people in ancient Greece shared stories called MYTHS about the gods, goddesses, and heroes in which they believed. § Each god or goddess was worshipped. The Greeks believed they ruled over different parts of Greek life. § These stories explained natural phenomena that happened in the world.

Why should we study Greek Mythology? § The ancient Greek culture originally was passed down by people telling stories and was later written down for thousands of years. § Modern plays, novels, television programs, movies, and even companies refer to Greek gods, goddesses, heroes and their stories. § Adventure stories are interesting and entertaining and can teach us lessons.

Zeus § Leader of the gods § God of the sky, lightning, and thunder § Symbol: lightning bolt § Wife: Hera § Olympian

§ Children: – Ares – Hebe – Hephaestus – Hercules – Apollo – Artemis – Athena – The Fates – Persephone § Other facts: had many affairs with other goddesses and mortal women

Athena § Goddess of wisdom § Also over justice, war, civilization, and peace § Described as “brighteyed” § Symbols: olive tree, owl § Never married § Olympian

§ No children § Other Facts: – She is Zeus’ favorite daughter – Supposedly came from Zeus’ forehead fully grown

Poseidon § God of the sea, earthquakes, and horses § Symbol: threepointed trident § Wife: Amphitrite § Olympian

§ Children – Triton: half human, half fish – Pegasus: flying horse – Theseus – Cyclops § Other Facts: – Often worked together with Athena (together they made the first chariot and the first ship) – Brother to Zeus and Hades

Aphrodite § Goddess of love and beauty § Most beautiful of the goddesses § Symbol: dove § Husband: Hephaestus § Olympian

§ Children: – Aeneas – Eros § Other Facts: – Was married off to Hephaestus by Zeus (who was not attractive), so she had an affair with Ares – Was born out of the sea

Hades § God of the underworld, rules over the dead; god of wealth § Dark-bearded § Symbol: Helmet, metal, jewels § Wife: Persephone § Olympian

§ Children: none § Other facts: brother to Zeus – Stole his wife from her mother – His magic helmet makes him invisible

Artemis § Goddess of the moon, wilderness, the hunt, wild animals, and childbirth § Protects young women until marriage § Very beautiful, has the crescent moon above her forehead § Symbols: bow/arrow, deer § Refused to marry § Olympian

§ Children: none § Other facts: – Twin sister of Apollo – Asked for eternal chastity from her father, Zeus

Hestia § Goddess of the hearth, home, and cooking § Watched over the sacrificial flame § Symbol: kettle § Olympian

§ Children: none § Other facts: – Oldest sister of Zeus – Swore to be a chaste goddess – Some of every food sacrifice goes to her – Looked after the cooking of every meal on Mount Olympus

Hephaestus § God of fire and the patron of craftsmen, god of volcanoes § Crippled since birth, bearded § Symbol: fire, hammer § Wife: Aphrodite § Olympian

§ Children: none with his wife § Other Facts: – Devised clever traps to catch his wife in affairs – Made armor for gods and heroes

Ares § God of war, manly courage, civil order § Either mature man with beard in battle armor or bare-chested youth with a spear § Symbol: shield, spear § Wife: n/a, lover of Aphrodite § Olympian

§ Children: – Eros (god of love) – Deimos (god of fear) – Harmonia (goddess of harmony) – Nike (goddess of victory) – Phobos (goddess of panic) § Other Facts: – He was cruel and mean, all the gods disliked him (even his father) – Loves war for its own sake

Apollo § God of music, medicine, archery, poetry, dance, thinking, light, truth § Handsome, young man, no beard § Symbol: bow/arrow, laurel wreath, lyre § No wife, but had many affairs § Olympian

§ Children: – Asclepius (god of healing) – Aristaeus (half-god, protector of cattle) § Other Facts: – Twin brother to Artemis – When angered, would kill with disease or arrows

Hermes § God of merchants, thieves, travelers, literature, athletics, and shepherds § Messenger of the gods § Symbol: winged sandals, caduceus § Wife: none, lovers: Penelopia, Aphrodite § Olympian

§ Children: – Pan (god of goat-herding) – Hermaphroditos (child with Aphrodite) § Other Facts: – Zeus had him with a nymph – Known for being a prankster – Guided dead souls to the Underworld

Hera § Protector of wives and marriage § Considered beautiful § Symbol: the peacock § Husband: Zeus § Olympian

§ Children: Ares § Other facts: – Always was fighting with Zeus because of his many affairs – Always tried to do bad things to the women Zeus was having affairs with – Was considered very jealous

Prometheus § God of forethought and crafty counsel § Symbol: none § Wife: Asia or Clymene § Children: mankind

§ Other Facts: – He created mankind out of clay and stole fire from the gods to help stop their suffering. – He was punished by being chained to a rock and having an eagle eat out his liver every day. – The skin would heal every night and the cycle would start over.

Cronus § God of time and the ages § Symbol: none § Wife: Rhea § Titan

§ Children: – Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Hestia, Demeter § Other Facts: – He didn’t want his kids to overthrow him, so he ate them as babies. – Rhea tricked him and gave him a rock instead of Zeus to eat. – Zeus grew up and then made him throw up the others, and then they sliced him to bits and threw him in the Underworld.

Dionysus § God of wine, agriculture, festivity, and drama § Older, bearded god § Symbols: grapes, winecups § Wife: Ariadne § Olympian

§ Children: – 3 Graces (goddesses of charm and grace) § Other Facts: – His mother died before he was born; Zeus rescued him and put him in his thigh, where he was born

The Furies § 3 goddesses of revenge or vengeance § Usually avenged murder, crimes against the gods, or parents cursing their children § Clothed in black with snakes in their hair and arms § Winged § Servants of Hades and Persephone

§ Punishments included: – Madness – Disease – Hunger – Death § It could only stop with some task for atonement and some kind of purification

Iris § Goddess of the rainbow § Messenger of the gods (personal messenger to Hera) § Beautiful young woman with wings, carries a staff § Symbol: rainbow § Husband: Zephyrus (god of the west wind) § Olympian

§ Children: – Porthos § Other Facts: – Minor goddess of the sea and sky

Gaea § Earth mother, or goddess of the earth § Husbands: Ouranos (original Titan sky god), then Pontus (original Titan sea god) § Symbol: none § Titan

§ Children: – Cronus – Rhea – The other main Titan gods – Typhon – Nereus (and more) § Other Facts: – She helped her son Cronus castrate her first husband to protect her children

Pan § God of shepherds, flocks, mountain wilds, rustic music § Man from waist up, but legs, horns, and tail of a goat § Symbol: pan pipes § Wife: none, but loved many nymphs § Sided with Olympians (but didn’t live on Olympus)

§ Children: none (accounts differ) § Other Facts: – Nymphs ran from him because they thought he was ugly

The Fates § Goddesses who controlled the destiny of everyone from birth to death § Clotho: spun the thread of life § Lachesis: decided how much time each person had § Atropos: decided when to cut the thread of life

§ Usually shown as ugly old hags § Everyone feared them

Medusa § Originally a beautiful maiden who desecrated Athena’s temple by lying there with Poseidon § Angry, Athena turned her into that! § (That’s one story, at least)

§ If you look directly at Medusa, you will turn to stone. § Her hair is made of live snakes. § The hero Perseus killed her by cutting off her head.

Chiron § Half horse, half human § Eldest and wisest of all the centaurs § Immortal god: son of Cronus and half-brother to Zeus § Considered a great teacher who mentored many of the heroes of mythology